Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud received a high-level delegation from the Pakistan Air Force in Mogadishu, where the two sides discussed the development of the Somali Air Force and the strengthening of defense cooperation.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Air Marshal Muhammad Sarfraz, the Air Defense Commander and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force.
The meeting, held at the Somali Presidency, was also attended by Minister of Defense Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, Chief of the Somali National Army Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud, and Commander of the Somali Air Force Brigadier General Abdirisaq Mohamud Haji.
According to a statement from the Somali Ministry of Defense, the discussions focused on rebuilding and enhancing the capabilities of the Somali Air Force, increasing its operational capacity, and advancing the skills and training of its personnel.
The two sides also discussed strengthening defense cooperation between Somalia and Pakistan, with the Somali government noting that such collaboration is part of broader plans to build and develop the country’s armed forces. During the meeting, President Hassan Sheikh emphasized the importance of the friendly relations between Somalia and Pakistan, noting that defense cooperation could contribute to building the capacity of the National Army and strengthening Somalia’s security, sovereignty, and unity.
The visit by the Pakistani delegation comes as Somalia is undertaking efforts to rebuild its Air Force and seeking international cooperation to enhance the country’s airspace protection and air defense capabilities.
Pakistan and Somalia have previously discussed air force cooperation; officials from both countries met in Islamabad in 2020 to discuss training and support aimed at developing the Somali Air Force.
